A man accused of being a dodgy car dealer has told a jury he never deceived customers.

Steven Courage, giving evidence on his 48th birthday, blamed another trader working from his forecourt for selling buyers faulty vehicles.

He claimed he then acted as a “mediator” between customers and John Graham – the man he said had done the deals at Courage Car Sales.

Courage, of Colebrook Road, St Budeaux, is on trial after he denied seven charges surrounding a number of sales – six counts of fraud and one count of fraud by using a false instrument in 2013 and 2014.